Apparatus, system, and method for improving engine development
First Claim
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1. A method for improving engine development, the method comprising:
- equipping a vehicle associated with a vehicle depot with a data logger, the data logger configured to selectively collect data directly from first sensor related to engine performance, the vehicle depot being equipped with a vehicle server;
driving the vehicle to collect engine performance data;
automatically retrieving the engine performance data from the vehicle to the vehicle server via a secure local wireless network proximate to the vehicle depot;
uploading the engine performance data to an enterprise communication server via a secure wide area network;
analyzing the engine performance data to improve engine development; and
updating the data logger, wherein updating comprises instructing the data logger to collect new performance data by collecting data directly from a second sensor related to engine performance.
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Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for improving engine development. Engine development is improved by equipping a vehicle with a data logger to collect engine performance data, automatically retrieving the data via a secure local wireless network, uploading the data to an enterprise communication server via a secure wide area network, and analyzing the data. The vehicles and vehicle depot may be equipped with WAPs. The wide area network may comprise a VPN over the internet. In certain embodiments, the secure local wireless network is only accessible to wireless devices with registered MAC addresses.
37 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for improving engine development, the method comprising:
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equipping a vehicle associated with a vehicle depot with a data logger, the data logger configured to selectively collect data directly from first sensor related to engine performance, the vehicle depot being equipped with a vehicle server; driving the vehicle to collect engine performance data; automatically retrieving the engine performance data from the vehicle to the vehicle server via a secure local wireless network proximate to the vehicle depot; uploading the engine performance data to an enterprise communication server via a secure wide area network; analyzing the engine performance data to improve engine development; and updating the data logger, wherein updating comprises instructing the data logger to collect new performance data by collecting data directly from a second sensor related to engine performance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for improving engine development, the system comprising:
a plurality of vehicles associated with a vehicle depot, each vehicle being equipped with a data logger, the data logger configured to collect data from at least one sensor related to engine performance; a vehicle server proximate the vehicle depot, the vehicle server configured to automatically retrieve engine performance data from the vehicles via a secure local wireless network; and the vehicle server further configured to upload the engine performance data to an enterprise communication server for analysis via a secure wide area network; wherein the data logger of each vehicle is updatable via the vehicle server, enterprise communication server, and another of the plurality of vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for improving engine development, the apparatus comprising:
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a local wireless network comprising a vehicle server located at a vehicle depot, the vehicle server being configured to wirelessly communicate with wireless communication devices proximate to the vehicle depot; a security module configured to verify a wireless MAC address of a vehicle equipped with a wireless communication device; an automatic retrieval module configured to automatically retrieve engine performance data from the vehicle to the vehicle server via the wireless communication device; and an automatic upload module configured to automatically upload the engine performance data from the vehicle server to an enterprise communication server remote from the vehicle depot via a secure wide area network; wherein a user remote from the vehicle depot can view the performance data retrieved from the vehicle in real time via the enterprise communication server. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A machine readable medium comprising operations for improving engine development, the operations comprising:
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automatically retrieving engine performance data from a vehicle associated with and proximate to a vehicle depot via a secure local wireless network; automatically uploading the retrieved engine performance data to a vehicle server proximate the vehicle depot; automatically uploading the engine performance data from the vehicle server to an enterprise communication server remote from the vehicle depot via a secure wide area network; and analyzing the engine performance data in real time via the enterprise communication server to improve engine development.
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Specification